Labour Mayor of Hartlepool survives suspension vote

The Mayor of Hartlepool, Cllr Stephen Akers-Belcher, has survived a vote to suspend him after he was sacked for gross misconduct from his council day job.

Cllr Akers-Belcher was sacked from his job as a team leader in Newcastle City Council's social services department for gross misconduct and then went on holiday with his partner, council leader Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher when it hit the headlines. The local radio station also called in the police after he allegedly tried to exert undue influence over their reporting of the situation.

The vote to suspend him fell by 19 votes to 11.